California Car Accident Reports

Six people were injured in an Orange County car accident the afternoon of December 28, 2009, after an elderly man crashed his sedan into a restaurant in Anaheim Hills. According to a news report in The Orange County Register, the injury accident occurred at the 700 block of South Weir Canyon Road, when the 79-year-old man stepped on the gas of his Honda Accord, instead of the brakes, and crashed through the front of a Subway restaurant. Six people, including customers and employees, sustained injuries. Four of them were transported to local hospitals. The elderly driver was not injured.

I hope the four individuals who were taken to area hospitals did not sustain serious injuries. I can only imagine the shock the customers and employees, at this Subway restaurant, must have experienced when the car came through the glass door. I wish all the injured victims the very best for a speedy and complete recovery. Please keep them in your prayers.

Car Accident Statistics

According to California Highway Patrol's 2007 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), 30 deaths and 2,006 injuries were reported in Anaheim as a result of all traffic accidents. In Orange County, 178 deaths and 14,185 injuries occurred due to traffic accidents in 2007. Also, countywide, 41 people died and 726 were injured as a result of pedestrian accidents during the same year.

Elderly Drivers

California now has almost 3 million drivers who are 65 years or older, according to the Department of Motor Vehicles. A recent study by Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh and the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety estimated fatality rates for drivers begin to climb after age 65. In 2005, about 11 percent of fatal traffic accidents in the United States involved drivers 65 or older.

Car Accident Causes and Liability Issues

Based on this news report, it seems to me that this accident was the senior driver's fault. The man apparently mistook the gas pedal for the brakes. This accident is one among several recent incidents in Southern California that have involved senior citizens. In this particular case, I would be interested to find out more about this individual's medical history. Should he have been driving in the first place? Did he have a valid driver's license at the time of the accident?

The injured victims in this case would be well-advised to seek the counsel of an experienced Orange County personal injury lawyer who will advise them about the best course of action. The victims here may be able to seek compensation to cover medical expenses, loss of earnings, cost of hospitalization, physical therapy and other related expenses. The best personal injury law firms will always offer a free consultation to injured victims and their families.

The BISNAR|CHASE personal injury law firm is not representing any of the parties mentioned in this article at the time the article was posted. Our information source is cited in the article. If you were involved in this incident or a similar incident and have questions as to your rights and options, call us or another reputable law firm. Do not act solely upon the information provided herein. Get a consultation. The best law firms will provide a free consultation. We provide a free, confidential consultation to not at fault persons named in this article. The free consultation offer extends to family members as well.